• At age 15, Hill and friends were participating in a soccer tournament in Park City, Utah. While on their way to a round of golf, a college student narrowly missed Hill's car and slammed into his mother's car following behind him. Hill's mother, Vicki, was killed as a result.

• Aaron grew up in the same small California town as Shane Costa of the Royals organization. They are still friends.

  "I talk to him all the time; he's my best friend," Aaron said before 2005 spring training. "We grew up taping up balls and throwing them as batting practice at each other."

  Aaron said he went to a lot of Visalia Oaks (CAL) baseball games while growing up. "All the time. I used to be one of those kids trying to get the players' autographs. That's why I try and sign as many as I can every night as a player," Hill said.  (David E Fanucchi-At The Yard Magazine-December, 2004)

• In 2000, the Angels picked Aaron in the 7th round out of high school. But Aaron chose a scholarship to Louisiana State University instead.

• Babe Ruth never did it. Neither Willie Mays nor Henry Aaron got it done. Barry Bonds didn't do it; neither did his Dad, Bobby. Neither Ken Griffey Jr. nor Ken Sr. did it. Miguel Cabrera is looking for his first one.

  Aaron Hill did it twice during the 2012 season . . . in the span of 11 days.

  Hitting for the cycle is a rare achievement. Ten Hall of Famers, including Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, and George Brett, had a pair of cycles. Babe Herman, in 1931 with the Brooklyn Robins, is the only other player with two in one season.

  COLLEGE DAYS AT LSU

• In 2002, his sophomore year at LSU, Hill hit .329-9-47.
• In July 2003, Aaron's best friend on the Louisiana State baseball team, third baseman Wally Pontiff, died. Wally had helped acclimate Hill, a California native, to Cajun culture as well as the traditions and rigors of LSU baseball.
• In 2003, Hill  led the SEC with a .478 on-base percentage and walked 44 times with just 16 strikeouts.  He hit .367-8-59 in 62 games for the LSU Tigers and was Southeastern Conference Player of the Year.

• Hill calls Team USA his favorite college experience, despite the attitude he encountered while wearing the red, white, and blue.

  "Nobody else likes the USA," he said with a laugh. "It was weird to play in Italy and everyone on the other team gets applause, and then they introduce us and no one is clapping. Not one person. I think we were playing the Czech Republic, and their players were just talking, and we couldn’t understand them and running their mouths, and one of our guys started mouthing off back at him. Then one of their players kind of leaned in, and I guess the only English he knew was, ‘Shut up, ----head.’ Like I said, nobody likes us."

• Hill comes from an athletic family. His brother, Michael, plays college baseball, his Dad, Walter, was a draft pick of the Oakland Athletics and his late mother, Vicky, was an excellent sprinter. "I always tell my dad that I got my athletic ability from my Mom," he said. "He doesn't like that too much."

• Aaron really enjoys playing the guitar.

  "It just relaxes me if I'm having a bd day or a good day. When I was back home in high school, I played in the church band. And me and my buddies would always get together. I've actually played at a couple of bars with all my buddies," Hill said.

• During the offseason before the 2004 season, Baseball America rated Hill as the 6th-best prospect in the Blue Jays' organization. And during the off-season before 2005 spring training, the magazine moved him all the way up to #2 prospect in the Toronto system.
• Aaron is an intelligent player who soaks up and applies coaching tips. And he has the physical attributes and talent to do well.

• Hill said his favorite NFL team is the San Francisco 49ers. "They've always been my team," he said.

  CLOSE TO ADAMS

• On March 29, 2006, Aaron and his double play partner, Russ Adams, were victims of an extravagant practical joke played by pitchers Roy Halladay and A.J. Burnett.

  The young double-play tandem had been giving Halladay and Burnett a hard time all spring because of how much time the pitchers had been spending together. Halladay and Burnett decided to use some of their hefty disposable income to poke fun at how close of a relationship Hill and Adams have.

  While the team stretched before the game on Wednesday, an airplane flew over Knology Park, with a banner trailing behind that read, "Aaron, Will you marry me? I love you! Russ." As if that wasn't enough, a ceremony was held for the middle infielders in the players' dining room, complete with a cake, a fondue pot, wedding presents, flowers, a DJ, and a videographer. Halladay and Burnett performed the mock wedding.

  Hill and Adams were fitted with tuxedo jackets with their numbers stitched on the back and an SUV, decorated with balloons and streamers, was waiting outside the stadium with "Just Married" written on the back window. Then, before the third inning of the game against the Phillies, the plane returned with another message: "Congratulations, Aaron and Russ."

  "Bottom line: Don't mess with the veterans," Hill joked. "They can outfund us. We're done."  (Jordan Bastian-MLB.com-3/29/06)

• September 7, 2009: Aaron left the Blue Jays during a game so he could fly off to join wife Elizabeth at their home in Palm Harbor, Florida. She was in labor, giving birth to their second child.

• In 2009, Hill was named the American League Comeback Player of the Year.

• In October 2011, Aaron switched agents,  moving from the Beverly Hills Sports Council to Greg Genske.

  "I had six great years with Beverly Hills Sports Council and made the difficult decision to make a change," Hill said.

  The D-backs hold an $8 million club option on Hill for 2012, and while they'd like to have him back, they would prefer to work out a new deal. General manager Kevin Towers had preliminary discussions with Rick Thurman of BHSC following the conclusion of the National League Division Series, and he hopes to pick those up with Genske.

• Hill was driving a Ford F-150 truck in 2012.

• Hill's Favorites:Movie: Training DayTV Show: How I Met Your MotherActor: Denzel WashingtonMusic: CountryFood: Steak and potatoesPerson in history: Albert EinsteinPlayer he learned the most from: Scott RolenThree people he'd invite to dinner: The Queen of England, Mickey Mantle, and Jack Nicklaus.

• Aaron says if he were not a baseball player, he would have been: "I was a psychology major in college, but I don't know if I would have gone down that road or not."'

• Aaron and his wife, Elizabeth, have a daughter, Paige.

• Located just 400 miles from his hometown of Visalia, California, Hill now has a field dedicated in his honor that will benefit Little League players for many years to come in the town of Parker, Arizona. With financial support from the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation, Hill, and Arizona Public Service, the field was a complete build featuring a brand new scoreboard, lights, grass, infield dirt, bases, fencing and dugouts. (March 2013)

• Aaron's wife is of royal blood, being a descendent of the Tudor family in England.

• When Aaron walks to the plate at Chase Field, Pharrell Williams' "Happy" blares over the speakers.

  Because I'm happy . . . Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof . . . Because I'm happy . . . Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth . . .

  Turns out the song is the choice of Hill's young daughter, who is a big fan of the movie "Despicable Me 2," whose soundtrack features the song.  "She said, 'Daddy, this could be our song,'" Hill said. "Then my wife said, 'You should use that music when you come up,' and my daughter got all excited about it. How could I say no to her?"

  Truth is the song is a great fit for Hill, who is one of the more content people you will ever meet.

  "What's not to be happy about?" Hill said. "I'm married to my best friend, I have an awesome family, and I get to come play baseball every day."  (Gilbert - mlb.com - 4/20/14)

• In 2014, Aaron has teamed up with some other players on the D-Backs to form a group. "Fender Guitars" has supplied a music room for the group to practice. Mark Trumbo plays drums and lead guitar. Bronson Arroyo is on guitar and vocals. Wade Miley plays base guitar. Hill plays rhythm guitar. Kurt Gibson's oldest son plays guitar and sings. A.J Pollack is also in the band.   

• Ask Aaron about veterans he leaned on early in his career and he will list a multitude of names. In Spring Training 2016, after 11 years and 1,400 games, it's understandably difficult to narrow it down to just one or two people. From Roy Halladay to Frank Thomas, Scott Rolen and Troy Glaus, Hill credits numerous people for teaching him the ins and outs of life as a Major Leaguer, both on and off the field.

  As a veteran, Hill's role has shifted a bit. And in a few years, when Scooter Gennett is asked who helped him grow as a player, perhaps it'll be Hill's name that is one of the first he mentions.  "He's definitely a guy that likes to help and he's willing to share some of his experience," Gennett said.

  "This game can teach you lot of things. You can never stop learning with anything really, but especially in baseball," Hill said. "The more you communicate about how you feel on certain plays, I think the better off you will be."  With plenty of experience at second base, Hill has a plethora of information to offer Gennett, who certainly appreciates the insight.

  "He's got a lot of experience and he's willing to help us," Gennett said. "Here and there, I ask him certain things about double plays and throw downs from the catcher and stuff like that."  Gennett plans to talk to Hill more about the intricacies of the position as Spring Training progresses, but even when they aren't talking about life on the field, Gennett feels Hill's presence -- that of an established veteran -- will be a significant asset to the Brewers' clubhouse this season.

  "It's really important," Gennett said. "It's a thing that I feel very fortunate about. You need guys like that to have success. It's good to have a mix of young guys, old guys. It's good to have guys with experience, guys with not so much experience to be able to feed off each other and learn from each other."  (Boor - MLB.com - 3/1/16)

  TRANSACTIONS

• June 2003: The Blue Jays chose Hill in the first round, out of LSU. Aaron signed for a bonus of $1.68 million. Jaymie Bane was the scout who signed him.

• April 4, 2008: Hill agreed to a four-year contract with the Blue Jays, worth $12 million with club options for 2012, 2013, and 2014.

• August 23, 2011: The Diamondbacks sent 2B Kelly Johnson to the Blue Jays, acquiring Hill and infielder John McDonald.

• November 15, 2011: Aaron signed a two-year, $11 million contract with the D-Backs.

• February 8, 2013: Hill and the Diamondbacks agreed on a three-year contract extension worth $35 million. Aaron was already signed for 2013 at $8 million. So the extension is for the 2014, 2015, and 2016 seasons.

• January 30, 2016: The Diamondbacks acquired SS Jean Segura and RHP Tyler Wagner from the Brewers; sending RHP Chase Anderson, INF Aaron Hill, SS Isan Diaz, and cash to Milwaukee.

• July 7, 2016: The Brewers traded Hill and cash to the Red Sox for 2B Wendell Rio and RHP Aaron Wilkerson
• Nov 3, 2016: Hill chose free agency
• 2017: Hill was signed by the Giants
• June 29, 2017: The Giants released Hill

• Hill is an infielder who can hit. He displays a quiet approach at the plate, effectively staying back on offspeed stuff. He uses a straightaway stance. His swing is short, compact, and easy. He is short to the ball and hits to any part of the park.

  Aaron's approach at the plate is similar to the one used by Hall of Famer Paul Molitor. When hitting, Hill drives his bat from a near-standstill position towards the ball. He doesn't move his hands back much before beginning his swing.

"Very few guys can do that and get away with it," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. "Molitor was an exception."

• Aaron has a beautiful compact swing. He hits line drives for a high average, a lot of doubles, and a few home runs. His power should improve every year as he learns to use his lower body for better leverage.

  It seems like all of his home runs land in a 15-foot little section in left field.

• He is a solid situational hitter.
• During 2006 spring training, Blue Jays hitting coach Mickey Brantley worked with Hill, "getting him a setup, some rhythm, some timing. Now he is starting to move a little bit—a little waggle, a slight backward motion. It's not exactly what we call a two-piece swing.

  "He is putting together a nice little rhythm. His hands are moved back a little bit and he has a little more relaxation. So, hopefully we'll get a little more power in the gaps," Brantley said, speaking of Aaron hitting doubles, not home runs.

• In 2007, Aaron set a Toronto Blue Jays record for most doubles in a season, 47, surpassing the old mark of 41 by Roberto Alomar in 1991.

• In 2009, Hill was the most dangerous middle infielder at the plate in the Major Leagues. He set Blue Jays club records for a single season in home runs and RBI.

  The super season was not so much something Aaron did, but something he did not do. Gone was a modification where Hill tried to use the up-the-middle-the-other-way approach that was championed by past Toronto hitting coaches such as Gary Denbo and Mike Barnett. It simply didn't work for Hill, so he went back to a swing an approach that felt more comfortable and aggressive.

• On June 18, 2012, Aaron hit for the cycle. Coming to the plate in the seventh inning with a comfortable lead and needing a homer to hit for the cycle, D-backs second baseman Aaron Hill swore he wasn't trying to go deep.

  "I don't think I've ever tried to hit a home run and actually done it," he said. "I just took a deep breath and tried to do what I did the previous at-bats."

  Whatever he did, it worked. Hill connected with an offspeed pitch up in the zone and drove it into the left-field bleachers to complete the fifth cycle in D-backs history as his club defeated the Mariners, 7-1.

  Incredibly, on June 29, 2012, Hill hit for the cycle for the second time in the season—hell, and for the second time in less than two weeks. Aaron went 4-for-5 with three RBIs. The last time a player had two cycles in one season was Babe Herman for Brooklyn in 1931. And it has happened only two other times in baseball history, both before 1900.

• As of the start of the 2017 season, Hill had a career batting average of .267 with 1,492 hits and 161 home runs and 688 RBI in 5,578 at-bats in the Majors.

• Aaron exhibits sure hands and good agility at shortstop. He has plenty of arm for making throws from deep in the hole. But he may not have the quickness, double-play pivot, or range to play shortstop every day—specially on artificial turf.
• Hill reads the ball off the bat well and positions himself to take away hits from the opposition.
• In May 2006, Aaron moved from second base back to shortstop. Hill had become the full-time second baseman after Orlando Hudson was traded to Arizona in the offseason before 2006. But Russ Adams started slowly and was sent back to Triple-A, so Hill replaced him at short.
• Hill is now a full-time second baseman.
• In 2016, Hill got traded to the Diamondbacks, where he will probably see time at third base.

• Aaron has good speed and instincts on the bases. And he steals a few bases.

• May 28, 2008: Aaron suffered a concussion after colliding with teammate David Eckstein during a game. He went on the D.L. over a week later, retroactive to May 30.

  Hill and Eckstein both ran sideways on a high popup in shallow by Rob Bowen that fell for a single and Eckstein's arm appeared to hit Hill in the head. Aaron was down and held his head for several minutes as Toronto's training staff examined his head and teeth before he walked off the field on his own.

  After being checked out at the University of Pittsburgh near the end of June, they recommended a two-week period of non-activity. But he ended up missing the rest of the season.

• Aaron received supprt from former Jays third baseman Corey Koskie and ex-Cardinal catcher Mike Matheny, both of whom had their careers cut short by concussions. They offered the key piece of advice in the recovery process: Don't push yourself to come back too soon.

  To aid in Hill's return, doctors tried various procedures, including acupuncture and jaw therapy, because the jaw is the primary balance point in the body.

• April 9-24, 2010: Hill went on the D.L. with a hamstring injury.
• February 25, 2011: Aaron missed most of the exhibition games because of tightness in his right quadriceps muscle.
• April 20-May 8, 2011: Hill was on the D.L. with an injured right hamstring. He suffered the injury while trying to steal second base the day before.
• April 16-June 25, 2013: Aaron was on the D.L. after X-rays revealed a broken left hand.

  Hill originally suffered the injury on April 9 when he was hit by a James McDonald pitch in a game against the Pirates. He attempted to return to the starting lineup a few days later, but left in the fourth inning when the pain in the wrist flared up.

• April 24-May 26, 2017: Hill was on the DL with a right forearm strain